Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of entry passages leading to the facility... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
